I love those Facebook memories. I hate those Facebook memories. But each day I click, “Look back” and I look back. For better or worse each day I look back. I noticed something these last few days though, that
We have all seen evidences of God’s grace in our lives. Good and bad evidences. Times where we can look back and see grace. It’s easy to see grace when things are shiny and pretty. It’s harder to see grace when those dark storm clouds are rolling in, but there is grace in those dark times too.
Here is a list of grace that I saw in the four years and eight months that we had with our sweet Boston.
Grace in the new life of our boy on February 25, 2011. He was beautiful. Perfect. Relatively easy C-section and quick healing. For that we were grateful.
Grace in the ability to travel and for him to see more sight in the first year of his life than most people see in a lifetime.
Grace for being a good traveller.
Grace for beautiful bright eyes and a wonderful laugh.
Grace for guttural screaming cries that dad knows that something is wrong. Appendicitis was the diagnosis. Mom thought that it was just poop.
Grace for those long, weary, sleepless nights when there was silence in the house and only the creak of a rocking chair. Those long nights were filled with cuddles while heavy eyelids closed. His and mine.
Grace for coffee after those long nights.
Grace for a knocked head over and over and over. He was always falling. Always knocking his head.
Grace for siblings and laughter in our home.
Grace for arguments and frustrations.
Grace for sweet little friends who play with monster trucks and construction toys.
Grace in Mighty Machines. Those 30 minutes of captivation while a garbage truck would speak to him. I also kept it secret when they took it off Netflix…
Grace for the day of The Accident.
A quick hug by the sofa, “Mama, I love you so much. Give me a hug.”
Quick helpers
Perfect playmates.
Patient officers
Quick neighbors
Friends picked up phones.
Prayers.
Love.
People to sit with us in the mess.
Strangers to sit with our boy so he wouldn’t be alone, who later became dear friends.
Tears.
Silence.
Pain.
Grateful for 4 amazing years.
Family near us to stay for the night.
An inn for people to stay.
“When sorrows like sea billow roll, whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, it is well with my soul.”
Grace for after.
A Jesus who died for THIS.
A Jesus who KNOWS.
The Gospel is True.
Jesus has faith for my lack of faith.
Woke up each day.
One foot went in front of the other.
New mercies each morning.
New graces.
Friends visited.
New friends made.
Good talks with our children.
Good trips to each of our favorite corners.
Friends who remain and walk with us through grief. Again.
Orange trees.
Orange sunsets.
Trains.
Monster Trucks.
Breath.
All our sickness, all our sorrows
Jesus carried up the hill
He has walked this path before us
He is walking with us stillTurning tragedy to triumph
Turning agony to praise
There is blessing in the battle
So take heart and stand amazedRejoice, when you cry to Him He hears
Your voice, He will wipe away your tears
Rejoice, in the midst of suffering
He will help you sing ~Dustin Kensrue
Uncomfortable Grace.
It is Finished.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 (emphasis mine)
***I really appreciated the sermon below. I listened to it several years ago, and have listened to it over and over again since.***
Grace in Four Years and Eight Months and After
This Verse
A couple of years ago, Mike came in and handed me this old window frame and said, “You should put this on your chalkboard wall and write stuff in the frame.” I thought that it was a good idea, so
Shopkins and Grief
October is coming. A couple of years ago this month was simply, Down Syndrome Awareness Month and I was cool with that. I was happy to share about our kid. How great we think she is. How thankful we are
I Didn’t Want to Remind You…
A couple of weeks ago, Mike cleaned out our garage. Our garage was full of stuff. Mowers, signs, tools, batteries, air compressors etc. Really too much to list. When the garage was done, Mike said, “Hey, come see the garage.